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The application of 3D laser scanning to the analysis of human skeletal remains provides the opportunity for new methodological approaches, including for the assessment of age at death. The focus of this new perspective revolves around the question of whether morphological development of skeletal features can be captured with quantitative measurements taken from 3D scanned representations of physical specimens, with the aims of adding an increased level of accuracy and precision over currently employed age estimations methods that focus on visual, and often subjective, assessments based comparisons with plaster casts and written descriptions. The current research was conducted to determine if specific morphological features of the pubic symphysis could be isolated and quantified on 3D models, and whether these measurements captured the general age related trends of symphyseal development. Using CAD software, each symphyseal face was divided into half and quadrant specific sections in an attempt to better capture the development of symphyseal morphology. A sample of left male pubic symphyses (n = 40) scanned from a well-documented collection of known-age individuals (Coimbra Identified Skeletal Collection) was selected for this study. Seven symphyseal features were identified from the Suchey-Brooks method unisex age phase descriptions. Eight measurements were generated to quantify these features. The data for each feature was subjected to linear regression analyses to test for statistical correspondence to known chronological age at death. Rim completeness, billowing height and area, and depth of symphyseal face depression demonstrated the strongest relationships with chronological age, while curvature of the ventral rampart and the angle of the dorsal aspect, showed significant but weak relationships with known age. Degree of dorsal lipping and dorsal rampart curvature showed no relationship with age. The results of the study suggest that quantitative assessments of morphological changes at the pubic symphysis are possible and therefore can potentially add further insights into age at death estimations based on the pubic symphysis, as measurements taken within CAD software are far more precise than traditional measuring implements. This study illustrates the potential for 3D imaging to improve the methods of osteological analyses applied particularly in the fields of bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. / Graduate

Muscle strength is assumed to be closely related with BMD, the so called determinant of bone strength, however, new methods for bone strength measurement are arising. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD), muscle strength and natural frequency of the radius in the dominant and non-dominant arm in healthy and osteopenic individuals aged between 50-70 years. Sixty sedentary male (thirty healthy and thirty osteopenic) participated this study. Bone mineral density assessment was performed by dual x-ray absorbtiometry (DEXA) and quantitative computed tomography (QCT), whereas muscle strength was measured by an isokinetic dynamometer quantitatively. Natural frequency of the radius was determined by a dual channel frequency analyzer. Differences between BMD, muscle strength and natural frequency in healthy and osteopenic participants according to dominancy were examined by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient test was conducted to determine the magnitude of the correlation between cortical, trabecular and average BMD, muscle strength and natural frequency. Results demonstrated a statistically significant difference between BMD, natural frequency and muscle strength in the dominant arm of both groups. There was also a significant difference in the non-dominant arm in terms of BMD, natural frequency and muscle strength, except in total work in the non-dominant arms. Moreover, there was a moderate positive correlation between BMD measured by DEXA and natural frequency in the dominant arm (r = ,59 / p &lt / .001) and non-dominant arm (r = 0,64 / p &lt / 0.001), whereas the muscle strength was correlated to BMD with a low positive correlation in terms of peak torque in extension (r = ,36 / p = ,005), peak torque in flexion (r = ,31 / p = ,016), total work in extension (r = ,28 / p = ,030) and total work in flexion (r = ,27 / p = ,041) in the dominant arms. The correlation between muscle strength and BMD was not significant in the non-dominant arm. The highest correlation between natural frequency and bone geometry parameters was observed in cortical thickness (r = ,82 / p = ,02). A statistically significant positive correlation (r = ,81 / p = ,04) was also observed between average BMD measured by QCT and by DEXA. In summary, according to the findings of this study, it can be concluded that vibration analysis is a precise method in predicting bone strength that depends highly on its size, shape and the distribution of its trabecular and cortical components.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 6725.pdf: 3328461 bytes, checksum: 517c1b60ab0c8976991fed71cb2ffa40 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-26 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Gruta da Lapinha is one of the largest limestone caves in Bahia state, located in Municipality of Iramaia. In the year 2012 speleologists of Grupo Pierre Martin de Espeleologia (GPME Pierre Martin Speleology Group), discovered a complete skeleton of Holmesina major. In 2014, in a joint expedition between researchers of Federal University of São Carlos and GPME, three more specimens were found and glyptodonts remains. In a taphonomic analysis it was concluded that due to the integrality of the bones, the sedimentation patterns and the lack of some marks, those animals entered alive in the cave probably in search of resources and posteriorly dead locally, however, the deposition of the glyptodont material happened asynchronously to the pampathere ones. And all of the fossils collected in this cave were of cingulates. Cingulata is the order of xenarthrans that has the largest number of species and the widest geographical distribution in the present time; however, it is only reduced to the Family Dasypodidae. During the Pleistocene there were more than one Family; Pampatheriidae was one among them. In that Family, the species H. major was distributed from Northeast to South of Brazil through the eastern regions. Most of what is known about the geographical distribution of those animals is due to their osteoderms that has been found; nevertheless, few specimens with an almost complete skeleton had been found. This paper makes a literature review about phylogenetic relationships and paleoecology of pampatheres; describes two well-preserved new specimens of H. major found in Bahia state, detailing new structures of Pampatheriidae, such as pelvis and xenarthrous vertebrae; compares the specimens, analyzing inter- and intraspecific variations; and concludes that H. major treats being a clade distinct from H. paulacoutoi. / A Gruta da Lapinha, localizada no Município baiano de Iramaia, é uma das maiores cavernas calcárias do estado. No ano de 2012, espeleólogos do Grupo Pierre Martin de Espeleologia (GPME) descobriram um esqueleto completo do Holmesina major. Em 2014, numa expedição conjunta de pesquisadores da UFSCar e GPME, mais três espécimes foram encontrados e remanescentes de gliptodonte. Numa análise tafonômica, concluiu-se que, devido à integralidade dos ossos, aos padrões de sedimentação e à ausência de marcas, estes animais entraram vivos na caverna provavelmente em busca de recurso e posteriormente morreram no local, entretanto, a deposição dos restos do gliptodontídeo ocorreu assincronamente à dos pampaterídeos. Apesar disso, todos os fósseis coletados eram de cingulados. Cingulata é a ordem de xenartros que possui maior número de espécies e maior distribuição geográfica na atualidade, entretanto, é resumida apenas à família Dasypodidae. No Pleistoceno, havia mais de uma família, dentre elas, Pampatheriidae. Dessa família, a espécie H. major distribuía-se do nordeste ao sul do Brasil nas regiões leste. Muito do que se sabe da distribuição geográfica desses animais é por seus osteodermos que são encontrados, porém, apenas poucos espécimes com o esqueleto quase completo haviam sido encontrados. Este trabalho faz uma revisão de literatura sobre as relações filogenéticas e a paleoecologia de pampaterídeos; descreve dois novos espécimes de H. major bem preservados encontrados na Bahia, detalhando novas estruturas para a família Pampatheriidae, como pélvis e vértebras xenártricas; compara os espécimes, analisando as variações inter- e intraespecíficas e conclui que H. major trata-se de um clado distinto de H. paulacoutoi.

This dissertation used osteometrics to assess the level of congruence between biological distance and long-distance material exchange in three Middle and Late Archaic groups living in the mid-South United States. Dental and cranial data support greater biological affinity between groups in southern Illinois (represented by individuals from the Black Earth site) and central Tennessee (individuals from Eva and surrounding sites) while groups in the Green River region of western Kentucky (Shell Mound Archaic) were somewhat more removed or perhaps more isolated. Females were more biologically variable than males for the majority of metrics used. This finding is suggestive of a patrilocal residence pattern, if only loosely followed.

The cemetery of Valsgärde, Sweden contains 92 human graves dating from the 3rdc. BCE to the 11thc. CE, the majority and most elaborate of which date to the Vendel and Viking Ages (approximately 500-1100 CE). This total consists of 15 unburnt boat graves, 15 inhumation and chamber graves, and 62 cremations. In addition to the human remains and wealthy goods, the site is noted for its richness in zooarchaeological material, with a variety of primarily domestic animals appearing buried alongside humans. One of the most commonly represented animals in these graves is the domestic dog (Canis familiaris), a trend which has been noted in many other sites from Vendel and Viking Age Sweden. This project quantifies and analyses the morphology of the dogs in the unburnt Vendel and Viking graves at Valsgärde in order to a) assemble a general typology and demographic profile for the population, b) assess the level of morphological variability in the population, and c) speculate on the possible roles these dogs may have played in Scandinavian society in the Late Iron Age. Comparisons are made between the character of dog burials in the Vendel vs Viking periods, to identify any notable shifts in trend over time. The analysis shows that while the size of the dogs generally remains consistent throughout both periods, a number of different types are represented within this limited size range, and the Viking Age burials contain notably fewer dogs than the graves of the Vendel Period.

The forensic examination of wounds is one of the key elements of analysis performed by forensic anthropologists and forensic pathologists. Gross examination and histological analysis can be used to determine the timing of the wound and its cause. While forensic pathologists are trained to analyze hard and soft tissue wounds, forensic anthropologists, bioarchaeologists, and paleopathologists, focus on hard tissue. Forensic anthropologists have the added benefit of potentially working with residual soft tissue and would benefit from the incorporation of microscopy techniques that take advantage of the soft tissue to better understand perimortem events. Little research has been published that examines if any healing processes, the defining characteristic of an antemortem wound that do not progress beyond the time of death, are preserved within the tissues beyond death and how long they may be visible. The objectives of this study were to examine if the use of multiple stains will allow earlier visualization of healing processes in skeletal fractures than gross examination and to observe the length of time microscopic healing structures remain visible after death. A total of 224 slides from 19 specimens representing both fractured and un-fractured bones for control samples were taken from nine autopsied individuals at the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office and analyzed using four stains: Hemotoxylin and eosin (H&E), trichrome, Prussian blue, and elastin stain. Slides were analyzed using a set of 14 scored variables and evaluated with nonparametric statistical tests and cluster analyses. H&E, trichrome, and elastin stains were useful in examining wound age and survival time categories were significantly different for presence of elastin and presence of hemorrhage. H&E and trichrome stains proved useful for observing residual healing structures after death and time cohorts after time of autopsy were significantly different for 11 variables. Results from this study support further testing with larger sample sizes, including samples with a wider range of survival time, to better predict survival times of fractures and time since death.

Ecpleopus gaudichaudii Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae) distribuída pelas áreas do Domínio da Mata Atlântica brasileira, é atualmente considerada monotípica. A espécie possui uma aparente homogeneidade morfológica e carece de estudos moleculares e osteológicos na literatura. No presente estudo, faz-se uma análise aprofundada sobre a morfologia do grupo (caracteres quantitativos e qualitativos) e os padrões de variação exibidos através de sua distribuição. Também é feita uma análise das diferenças moleculares em relação ao gene mitocondrial citocromo B entre as diversas populações amostradas. E, por fim, é apresentada uma descrição óssea da espécie. São reconhecidas duas linhagens diferentes com base em uma combinação dos dados morfológicos e moleculares. Os dados moleculares apontam ainda, que a real diversidade do grupo pode ser maior do que aquela demonstrada pelos caracteres morfológicos. Para a determinação da real complexidade taxonômica do grupo faz-se necessários novos testes e estudos de novos genes que permitam uma clarificação melhor das relações entre as populações e linhagens reconhecidas. / Ecpleopus gaudichaudii (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae), distributed over areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Domain, is the only species allocated in the genus. Despite its apparently homogeneous morphology, morphological and molecular studies approaching the several populations througout the distribution of this species are lacking in the literature. In this study, we provide a thorough morphological analysis involving external features (quantitative and qualitative characters) and osteology of a sample including 183 specimens of Ecpleopus gaudichaudii, in order to assess the patterns of variation throughout its distribution. In addition, a preliminary analysis of molecular differences regarding mitochondrial cytochrome B gene among the populations is also provided. Two different groups are recognized based on a combination of morphological and molecular data. The molecular data also indicate that the actual diversity of the group may be greater than that shown by morphological characters. The ellucidation of the relationships among the populations, as well as of the taxonomy of the group, depends on further studies of molecular approach focusing nuclear and more mithocondrial genes. The results of these studies may provide more solid grounds to future taxonomic reformulations.

As aves Caprimulgiformes formam um grupo bastante heterogêneo morfologicamente, a despeito da superficial similaridade de plumagem e dos hábitos noturnos. A maioria das hipóteses filogenéticas atuais são incongruentes entre si quanto ao relacionamento entre as famílias que compõem a ordem, exceto quanto ao posicionamento da família Aegothelidae, considerada mais próxima da ordem Apodiformes. Devido aos conflitos entre os estudos sistemáticos dessa ordem, e do aventado relacionamento próximo de alguns de seus representantes com a ordem Apodiformes, os objetivos desse estudo foram propor uma hipótese filogenética para as ordens Caprimulgiformes e Apodiformes com base em 120 caracteres osteológicos, utilizando-se representantes das ordens Psittaciformes, Strigiformes, Coraciiformes e Trogoniformes como grupos-externos na análise. Uma única árvore mais parcimoniosa demonstrou Steatornithidae e Podargidae como sucessivamente basais dentro da ordem, irmãs das demais famílias; um alto suporte ao clado composto pelas famílias Caprimulgidae e Nyctibiidae; e o relacionamento da família Aegothelidae com os Apodiformes, indicando o parafiletismo da ordem. A variação osteológica dentro das famílias é bastante notável, e importante fonte de caracteres para análises filogenéticas. Dessa forma, são propostas hipóteses filogenéticas para as famílias Nyctibiidae (incluindo fósseis) e Caprimulgidae, com base em 37 e 112 caracteres osteológicos, respectivamente. Com relação à primeira família, o padrão de relacionamento encontrado corrobora em parte os estudos moleculares prévios, particularmente quanto à posição basal de N. bracteatus. A variação osteológica entre as espécies daquela família indica que a atual sistemática da família, na qual todas as espécies são incluídas no gênero Nyctibius, deve ser revista. Com relação à família Caprimulgidae, a hipótese filogenética baseada nos caracteres osteológicos demonstrou: o parafiletismo das subfamílias tradicionalmente reconhecidas (Eurostopodinae, Chordeilinae e Caprimulginae); a posição basal dos gêneros Lyncornis e Eurostopodus (com baixo suporte ao parafiletismo desse último); um alto suporte ao gênero Chordeiles e indicação da revalidação dos gêneros Podager e Nannochordeiles; a posição basal de Nyctiprogne, Lurocalis e Nyctidromus, sucessivamente irmãs das demais espécies; e a existência de três clados, sendo um composto por espécies sul-americanas; um por espécies sul-, centro- e norte-americanas; e outro por espécies do velho mundo. Esses resultados corroboram em parte os estudos moleculares prévios e reforçam a importância da osteologia para o estabelecimento das relações filogenéticas nessa família, assim como o observado para a família Nyctibiidae e entre as famílias que compõem a ordem Caprimulgiformes / The avian order Caprimulgiformes is a morphologically heterogeneous group, in spite of their superficial resemblance and common nocturnal habits. The majority of the recent phylogenetic hypotheses are incongruent regarding the relationships among the families that compose the order, except regarding the position of Aegothelidae, which is considered more close related to the Apodiformes than to the remaining Caprimulgiformes. Due to the conflicts among recent studies, and the relationship of this order with the Apodiform birds, the main goal of this study was to propose a phylogenetic hypothesis of the Apodiform and Caprimulgiform families based on 120 osteological characters, with representatives of the orders Psittaciformes, Strigiformes, Coraciiformes and Trogoniformes as outgroups. A single most parsimonious tree revealed: Steatornithidae and Podargidae as basal taxa, nested at the base of the clade including all caprimulgiform and apodiform families; a strong support to a clade including Nyctibiidae and Caprimulgidae; and the close link of Aegothelidae to the Apodiform families, reinforcing the paraphyly of the order as mentioned in the literature but with an unprecedented morphological support. The remarkable variation among families strongly suggests the elevation of all families to the ordinal level. The noteworthy osteological variation observed within the families is also an important source of data to shed some light on the relationships among genera and species. Therefore, I propose the first phylogenetic hypotheses for the families Nyctibiidae (including fossils) and Caprimulgidae based on 37 and 112 osteological characters, respectively. Regarding Nyctibiidae, the relationships among species corroborate to some extent the previous molecular studies, mainly concerning the basal position of N. bracteatus, and suggest that the current systematics of the family, in which all species are included in the single genus Nyctibius, must be reviewed. Regarding the family Caprimulgidae, the data revealed: the paraphyly of the traditionally recognized subfamilies (Eurostopodinae, Chordeilinae and Caprimulginae); the basal position of the genera Lyncornis and Eurostopodus (with a weak support for the paraphyly of the latter); a strong support to the genus Chordeiles and the need for revalidation of Podager and Nannochordeiles; The basal position of Nyctiprogne, Lurocalis and Nyctidromus, nested at the base of a clade including all the remaining species; and the support of three clades, one including South American species; another one including South, Central and North American species; and another including old world species. These results corroborate to some extent previous molecular studies and emphasize the importance of the use of detailed osteological characters to the elucidation of the phylogenetic relationships in this family, as observed in Nyctibiidae and also among the families that compose the order Caprimulgiformes